Invenergy, Longi tie up in 5-GW solar panel production JV in Ohio

Sustainable energy solutions developer Invenergy LLC will form a solar panel production joint venture (JV) with China’s Longi Green Energy Technology Co Ltd (SHA:601012), or Longi Solar, planning to set up a 5-GW factory in Ohio.

The new entity will be dubbed Illuminate USA and Invenergy will be its anchor client, the Chicago-based company said earlier this month. Under the plan, it will pour more than USD 600 million (EUR 561.1m) into the joint initiative, of which some USD 220 million will be allocated to buy and build a 1.1 million-square-foot building in Pataskala, Licking County.

To be located approximately 20 miles east of Columbus, the Pataskala production base will be housed in an existing industrial building. The manufacturing facility is due to become operational by the end of this year. The construction phase is planned to be initiated in April, opening some 850 job positions, including 150 union jobs.

“As an American company and a leading developer and operator of solar projects in the US, we recognize the importance of having a strong domestic supply chain to meet the fast-growing demand for affordable solar power,” said Art Fletcher, EVP, Global Sourcing at Invenergy.

Invenergy, which has developed over 6 GW of solar projects globally, has a 775-MW portfolio of solar assets in Ohio.

(USD 1.0 = EUR 0.935)

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